When Thomas
Arthur was arrested by the authorities he was given the chance
to explain himself. He refused to do so. What he simply said is recorded
here -
It reads:"I leave my defence to my attorney
[lawyer]"Refusing to explain what happened did not go down
well at the trial where Thomas pleaded not guilty.

As well as
being accused of stealing David Williams' 11 geese
he was also accused of stealing four more
from John Jones, and five from James
Phillips, both men from Llanfihangel Nant Bran.
The jury found him guilty of the charges. The extract below records his
sentence...

The entry
reads :"To be transported for
the term of seven years to such part
of her Majesty's Colonies beyond the seas as Her Majesty by and with the
advice of Her Privy Council shall appoint "

This legal
language means that the Queen's advisers
would decide where he went.
At this time prisoners were sent to penal colonies at the far side of the
world in Australia, where they would be forced to work in the fields under
guard. Here they could be whipped and forced to work on the treadmill if
they did not behave.
After seven years Thomas Arthur would have been turned loose with no
means of getting home to Breconshire..